Local students walked out of Oberlin High School last Friday to honor the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. The walkout — one of thousands across the U.S. — was also part of a continued effort to protest gun violence as a part of the national, youth-led movement that began after the February mass shooting in Parkland, FL.
The students left school at 1 p.m. and congregated in Tappan Square, where community members and college students joined in solidarity. The walkout feat...

Janet Garrett is a life-long Oberlin resident and spent many years as a teacher at Eastwood Elementary School before retiring in 2015. Garrett ran for Congress in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District both in 2014 and 2016, losing twice to current Republican congressman Jim Jordan. Since President Donald Trump’s victory, Garrett has been hosting a monthly reading group at the Oberlin Public Library where community members discuss books and how to respond to Trump’s presidency. The next meeting is ...

Donald Trump overwhelmingly won Ohio and edged out Hillary Clinton in Lorain County, but he was not the only Republican candidate in the state and county to claim victory on Tuesday. Senator Rob Portman and Representative Jim Jordan, both Republicans, were re-elected to the Senate and the House of Representatives for Ohio’s fourth district, respectively. Dan Ramos, a Democrat, was re-elected as state representative to Ohio’s 56th district, which includes Oberlin.
Portman declared victory early Tuesday night and finished more than one million votes ahead of his opponent, Democrat Ted Strickland. In Lorain County, Portman defeated Strickland by more than 17,000 votes, garnering 53.8 percent of the vote compared to S...

As Nov. 8 approaches, all eyes are on the presidential race. Almost every student on campus has been hounded by the questions: “Are you registered to vote?” and “Have you changed your address?” from eager activists. These questions are important because, as most people know, Ohio is a swing state and will play a crucial role in deciding our next president. Everyone says that “Your vote here matters,” and I couldn’t agree more. However, your vote matters on more than just the national level — local issues are also important in shaping the lives of students and community members.
I’ve lived in Oberlin since I was 2 years old, my childhood home is a 10-minute walk from campus, I am a graduate of the Ob...

Garett Wins Democratic Nomination
Oberlin’s Janet Garrett, a retired public school teacher, won the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Representative Jim Jordan in November’s election. Garrett, who seeks to represent Ohio’s fourth district, previously ran against Jordan in 2014, when Jordan won with 68 percent of the vote. Garrett’s specific goals for the district include improving the job market, the educational system and senior care. She hopes that her message, combined with better name recognition, will help her against Jordan this time around.
Underground Upgrades
Oberlin’s Planning Commission approved Phases IIA and IIB of the Underground Railroad Center project on March 2, which ...